Rewarded Loyalty
by the Mirage Prismatic
Summary: AU - After Mest is injured saving Fairy Tail, Wendy and Lucy pay him a visit in Magnolia Hospital.


So, I had a little temper-tantrum months ago when I heard about the time-skip and rage-quit Fairy Tail. Then I came skulking back and have accepted the time-skip even though I haven't started the S-Class Promotion Trial Arc yet.

Still, there are so cases when I take advantage of fanfiction and ignore some of canon. I read that Mashima was having trouble deciding Mest/Doranbolt's affiliation and one of the choices was to have him directly connected to Fairy Tail. I decided to modify the concept a little as well as conjure a miracle and readjust canon a little.

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Rewarded Loyalty

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Lucy quietly stepped into the hospital room with Wendy, each carrying two bags, Charla sitting on Wendy's shoulder, arms folded disapprovingly. The room was silent mostly save for the nurse finishing her cleaning.

She looked up when they entered and smiled. "More Fairy Tail mages? He certainly is popular."

"Mest is a friend." Wendy explained, holding out the tray. "Can we hang these up? They're charms to help him get better faster."

"Of course, girls, I'll help."

"I'll help put up the charms – you can unpack the food."

"Food?" the nurse asked.

"It's teas and spices." Wendy explained.

Wendy and Charla both sneezed as the young dragon slayer pulled out a large can. "That is a very strong smell," Charla complained, covering her nose with her paws.

"These are adorable!" The nurse exclaimed holding up the charms about the size of the average hand, most of them made of a delicate silver.

Among the charms there was a star topped key, a snowflake, a lion's head, a sword, a spiral of iron, a book, a card, a net , a white wing, a flame, a pair of demon's wings, a pair of bird wings, a fang, lightning bolt, water drop, a rune, a cat's paw, a cat's head with round ears, a cat's eye, a set of three dots each bigger than the last, a totem and a light burst .

The other guildmembers had also had their own charms made to add to their collection. Gajeel had grumbled quite a bit about the number of delicate charms that had been commissioned and been more compliant when the master asked for large versions of all the guild mage's symbols.

"It's our way of saying thanks." Lucy said, hanging the white wing over Mest's head.

He had saved the guild. He had teleported them all to the safety of the ship he had commandeered from the Magic Council, mere seconds before Acnologia's Roar would have annihilated them along with the island. But the distance and the amount of people he teleported as well as the interference from the magical aura of the Black Dragon's attack had taken it's toll on his body even with the help of Mavis Vermillion who had appeared to them briefly to reassure them that the island was hidden again and Mest would recover.

Makarov had been deeply thoughtful about it until he had finally said: "We will take care of him as if he was Fairy Tail."

Erza had cleared her throat, not so subtly tilting her head in Laxus's direction.

Lucy hummed happily as she placed the lightning bolt in the window along with the Demon Wings and the Bird Wings.

"He used a lot of magical power, didn't he?" the nurse said, setting a scented candle in a small glass globe on the night stand by Mest's bed.

"Yes...but hopefully these candles will help the process." Wendy chimed.

"Why didn't the others come to help you?" the nurse asked confused and Lucy and Wendy both exchanged looks and nervous laughs.

"They tend to be very loud." Charla said flatly. "Not fit for a hospital at all."

"That makes sense."

The rest of the work went on in silence and Lucy tapped the key of Horologium. "Wendy, we have to catch our train soon."

"Right." Wendy scurried over to put a frame on the desk. "Mest, I'll be back to visit after my job. Get better fast, okay? You're missing so much!"

"Wendy." Charla said impatiently.

"Coming!"

"I'll take good care of him!" the nurse called as the Fairy Tail mages left. Smiling at the fresh scent of the room and the charms decorating the windows, the door frame top and the small ledges lining the wall, the nurse leaned over to the look at the picture – a picture of the Tenrou Island Team (Laxus included) all making the Fairy Tail sign.

"Wake up soon, Mr. Gryder. I don't want to have to fight off Fairy Tail with an iron rod."

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A/N: I have a backlog of stories at the moment so when I get the ball rolling on those, hopefully I can come write Fairy Tail fanfiction. :D Please leave a review if you have opinions but pleased no barbed/overly offensive/barbed comments w/o reason. Thanks!


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